CoreResearch scored each category on a variety of data indicators. For health, it looked at per-capita health spending, life expectancy, the availability of physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 citizens and the level of noninsured health spending. Economic well-being was based on per-capita income, income inequality and unemployment. Finances looked at government indebtedness, old-age dependency (the ratio of retirees to workers), inflation, interest rates, taxation level and bank nonperforming loans. Quality of life was based on the level of happiness and satisfaction of citizens and quality of the climate and environment.